Anthony Weiner’s mayoral run was shaping up as the most intriguing political comeback attempt of the year, but now there’s competition. Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer has announced he will seek city office as comptroller.

According to a report by the New York Times, Spitzer’s decision mirrors Weiner’s in several ways: both men resigned from high office after public revelations of sexual misconduct -- Spitzer stepped down while embroiled in a prostitution scandal -- and now both have entered New York City races without prior approval from Democratic party leaders.

Regarding policy, Spitzer told the Times he imagines expanding the scope of the comptroller’s office to include explicitly holding accountable other government departments, not just overseeing and advising the city on spending matters. His election is no slam dunk. First, Spitzer has until Thursday to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, an extremely short turnaround time, and second, he’ll likely face Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, a politician with high name recognition, himself, the report said.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Stringer has already agreed to join New York City’s campaign-finance system, which will limit him to spending about $4.3 million on the primary. Spitzer, however, has significant personal wealth and may be able to spend more than that, the report said. Already, a Stringer spokesman has released a statement saying that Spitzer’s entrance to the race is an attempt to “buy personal redemption with his family fortune”, according to the Journal.

As for Spitzer’s chances, the Washington Post spoke to several political consultants who wouldn’t say he’s a favorite, but a consensus emerged that has enough name recognition and political savvy that it wouldn’t be surprising if he did, indeed, win. Furthermore, a few people told the Post, if the 54-year-old Spitzer was to complete a successful run for comptroller in 2013 it could be a stepping stone toward a mayoral run in 2017.